This invention relates to collet-type connectors used to detachably connect a subsea well unit, such as a production tree, to a subsea wellhead, previously positioned at the bottom of a body of water.
It is an object of this invention is to provide a collet-type connector with camming surfaces on a cam ring and cooperating camming surfaces on the collet segments whereby a first set of camming surfaces urge the collet segments inwardly toward the wellhead into an initial position where the inward camming action ceases and whereby a second set of camming surfaces urge the collet segments further inwardly into clamping engagement with a wellhead thus reducing the power required to activate the sets of camming surfaces to one set at a time.
Another object of this invention to provide a collet-type connector which minimizes the distance between the top of a wellhead and the subsea unit. For example, present collet-type connectors are between 4 to 5 feet in height whereas the connector constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention is about 28 inches in height.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a collet-type connector wherein the travel of the actuating means (cam ring) for urging the collet segments into clamping engagement with the wellhead is less than in prior art collet-type connectors, thus aiding in the minimizing of the distance between the wellhead and subsea unit, aforesaid.